In life there are many more exits than entrances. Being naturally nosy, acquisitive and predatory, the human being is exceptionally good at getting into things. Where we fall down is that we rarely have an exit strategy. That's how divorce lawyers get so rich.

The green movement could be called a giant exit strategy from industrial development. Religions, too, prepare people for the afterlife through various exit strategies. Interestingly, assisted suicide is frowned upon on the basis that our entrance wasn't decided by us, so our exit shouldn't be either.

In general, the easier it is to leave somewhere or someone, the more likely you are to stay. North Korea, Wormwood Scrubs and abusive partners don't grant exit visas. On the other hand, there's something very comforting about being told you can leave whenever you want to (unless you've just arrived at a party).

Some people assume it doesn't matter how you leave something or someone because that's the last you'll see of them. But the rule is that every exit is also an entrance to somewhere else, so the manner in which you leave will also be the same manner you arrive somewhere else. That's why celebrities practise getting out of taxis.

You can make an entrance but you can also make an exit in your choice of style including storming, scurrying, flouncing and skulking. When you're making an exit, it's important not to look back halfway out. Keep looking straight ahead and give the impression that where you're headed is so much better than where you're leaving, even if it's just upstairs to your bedroom.

Making a graceful exit is one of life's great skills. Quitting while you're ahead is part of it, although the risk is that you'll never find out how far ahead you could have been if you hadn't quit. Everything in life has a cycle and the trick is to step off as you feel the path begin to descend. Mountaineers shouldn't take this too literally.

Exit wounds don't just exist in gunfights. They're the emotional pain when something exits from your life. Homesickness is an exit wound; grief is another; losing unsaved data on a computer when you exit without saving also hurts. It's worth remembering that when one door closes, another closes behind you and locks.